“What are you scowling about?” Jerry happened to note Marjorie’s puckered brows. “Let me sweeten your disposition by treating you to wintergreen lozenges and crimson lemonade.”
“I accept your generous offer. I hope you have money enough to treat lavishly,” Marjorie accepted Jerry with this pertinent hint, after having been affectionately jabbed in the side with Jerry’s elbow.
“I got cash,” Jerry boasted, thrusting her free hand into a pocket of her overalls. “I still got some ’o my Fourthy July money. I didn’t spend nothing that day hardly. It rained lickety whoop. Silas Pratt near got swept off the speaker’s stand a deliverin’ his Fourthy July ration. I heerd at the last the stand floated right off in the woods a carryin’ the Hamtown choir, Revern’d Skiggs and three boys as was sittn’ on the bottom steps of it.”
Marjorie and Jerry headed gaily for the lemonade stand calling back buoyant invitations to their friends to join them. As they drew near the stand a girl turned away from it and glanced at them. She was golden-haired and lovely in her white dimity frock scattered thickly with violets. Neither Marjorie nor Jerry could do other than admire her and her becoming costume. The trio did not exchange salutations.
Doris Monroe had not spoken to Jerry more than once or twice since coming to Hamilton. She had not even bowed to Marjorie since her own refusal to go to Sanford with Muriel on a Christmas vacation. Now she stared at Marjorie’s costume, rather than at Marjorie herself, in dismayed fascination. She had made a discovery which was anything but pleasing to her.
CHAPTER XIV.
A DISHEARTENING SITUATION
The discovery that Marjorie was the rustic maid in the pale yellow gingham gown who had accompanied Leslie Cairns to the door of the gymnasium was a distinct shock to Doris. Following the Rustic Romp she received a second jolt when Julia Peyton waylaid her on the campus to inform her triumphantly that she had something “very important to say about Miss Cairns.”
“Whatever it may be, say it now,” Doris commanded, keeping curiosity and interest well out of her tone. During the progression of her sophomore year she had grown to dislike Julia more and more. In the beginning she had tolerated resignedly Julia’s jealous preference for her society. Now she did not care whether either Julia or Clara Carter liked her or not.
“I couldn’t think of saying it now. I haven’t time. It’s something confidential.” Julia crested her black head importantly. Her black, moon-like eyes fixed themselves upon Doris in a mysterious stare.